The Burial Mounds of Fevang are part of a historic cultural landscape north of Sandefjord. Hidden among the beech trees on the Vestfold ridge, this ancient burial ground contains surviving graves and traces of farming from the Iron Age. Burial mounds, stone cairns and old field boundaries tell the story of people who lived and were buried here over a period of more than a thousand years.
A burial ground with over a thousand years of history
Fevang was an important settlement area long before modern roads were built. The ridge offered fertile farmland and served as a natural route through Vestfold. Farms and burial grounds developed here from around the beginning of the first millennium AD until the introduction of Christianity.
When archaeologist Nicolay Nicolaysen investigated the area in the 19th century, he discovered an extraordinary variety of burial monuments. These included burial mounds, stone cairns and standing stones arranged in different shapes and groups.
One of the most remarkable discoveries was a gold pendant known as a berlokk, found in a woman's grave dating from AD 0–400. The grave also contained gold beads, blue glass beads and bronze brooches. These objects offer a glimpse into the lives of people of high status during the early Iron Age.
Discover the ancient landscape
There may once have been several hundred burial monuments at Fevang. Many disappeared as the land was cultivated or altered, but a surviving burial ground in the beech woodland has been preserved and made accessible to visitors.
As you explore the area, look for more than the burial mounds. Small piles of cleared stones, old stone walls and traces of cultivated fields reveal how people once farmed this landscape. Some features are easy to spot, while others are low, overgrown and almost hidden among the trees.
Explore more of Vestfold's ancient history
For another fascinating Iron Age site, visit the Istrehågan burial ground, where standing stones form ships and circles. You can also discover the Gokstad Mound in Sandefjord, where the famous Gokstad Viking ship was excavated in 1880. For a longer historical journey, follow the Viking Trail through Vestfold and explore burial sites and other remarkable traces of the region's past.
Practical information
The burial ground is located at Fevang in Sandefjord municipality. The woodland heritage site has been prepared for visitors wishing to explore the area independently. The site is in wooded terrain, and some archaeological features are low and covered by vegetation. Please respect the ancient burial monuments and surrounding landscape. Do not move stones or disturb the ground.